Whirling toy



Feb. 7, 1967 F. D. RUBIO 3,302,322

WHIRLING TOY Filed June 2, 1964 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FERNANDO 0.RU BIO ATTORNEY Feb. 7, 1967 F. RUBIO 3,302,322

WHIRLING TOY Filed June 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F|G.5 FIG.6

Fl G. 8

V INVENTOR. FERNANDO D. RUBIO ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,302,322WI-IIRLING TOY Fernando D. Rubio, 62 1st St., San Francisco, Calif.94105 Filed June 2, 1964, Ser. No. 372,034

' 1 Claim. (Cl. 46-62) This invention relates to whirling toys of thetype wherein a rotor is rotated at high speed in opposite directionssuccessively by means of a loop of cord or the like which includes apair of opposed lengths which are passed through parallel bores in therotor. An example of the type of toy on which the present invention isan improvement is shown in US. Patent No. 2,595,990 to Steiner, datedMay 6, 1952.

The general method of operation of the type of toy involved herein iswell known and briefly involves the use of a rotor of some sort rotatedat high speed by means of a loop of a string which is twisted so thatwhen it is alternately tensioned and relaxed the twist of the .stringreverses and causes reversal of the direction of rotation of the rotor.

The main object of the present invention is to generally improve thetoys of this character by providing a more interesting and enjoyableeffect than has heretofore been possible with prior art devices of likenature.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a whirling toy whichis extremely inexpensive to manufacture and which gives a unique andpleasing sound effect to enhance the enjoyment of the toy.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel combinationof whirling members contributing to form a rotor which changes in coloras the rotation of the toy is reversed. In this connection, by thepresent invention a wide variety of different colors may be achievedwith only two or three elements composing the rotor as distinguishedfrom more complicated devices involving a plurality of elements andwhich do not provide the variety of color provided by the presentinvention.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a whirling toywhich is formed to provide a pair of relatively defiectible membersconstituting a rotor and which members deform to a different shape whilerotating at high speed.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following specification and from the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section taken in a plane indicated by lines22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of another form of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section taken in a plane indicated by lines4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of-still another form of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross section taken in a plane indicated by lines6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view showing the two portions of another modifiedform of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective of the assembly of the two portions of FIG. 7 incombination with the two opposed lengths of a loop of cord.

FIG. 9 is an end elevation of the assembly of FIG. '8 showing theassembly whirling with the two portions thereof deflected to closelyadjoining relationship.

In detail, and first with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, one form of theinvention comprises a central hub I having a circular periphery and tothe opposite ends of which are fixedly secured a pair of circular disks2, 3 respectively (FIG.' 2). A pair of through bores 5, 6 are formed"ice through both the central hub 1 and the disks 2, 3 and through whichbores the opposed lengths 7, 8 of the cord generally designated 9 arepassed.

At this point it will be noted that the combination of the central hub 1and the disks 2, 3 constitute a rotor which can be rotated at a highspeed in opposite directions by manipulation of cord 9 in the well knownmanner. Hub 1 and disks 2, 3 being integrally connected together wouldconstitute an elementary form of the type of toy herein involved. By thepresent invention enjoyment of the toy is enhanced by the provision of acentral member 11 which is preferably considerably larger than the disks2, 3 and may be shaped in almost any shape desired; the shape shown inFIG. 1 being only an example. The central member 11 is provided with acentral hole 12 which is slightly larger than the outside diameter ofthe hub 1 so that the member 11 may rotate relative to the hub 1 and, ofcourse, relative to the disks 2 and 3 that are fixedly secured relativeto hub 1.

In operation of the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 rotation of the toy inthe usual manner causes the central member consisting of hub 1 and disks2 and 3 to rotate carrying the central member 11 with them. However,upon reversal of the hub 1, the member 11 tends to overrun and thus movein a direction opposite to the movement of the central portion of therotor. As best seen in FIG. 2, disks 2, 3 are spaced apart sufiicientdistance to loosely receive the member 11 therebetween so that uponreversal of the toy the member 11 strikes against the sides of disks 2,3 thereby causing a rattling sound very similar to the sound of arattlesnake. Although the elements of the device of FIGS. 1 and 2 may bemade of pressed paperboard or like inexpensive material, it ispreferably made of a colorful plastic having good wearin g qualities.

The particular method of securing hub 1 to disks 2, 3 is not criticaland a good adhesive may be employed. However, if a stronger structure isdesired small diameter extensions of hub 1 may be passed throughcomplementarily formed holes in disks 2, 3 to further enhance thestrength of the assembly.

Another form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 wherein acentral hub 15 is provided having a pair of bores 16, 17 formedtherethrough for receiving the cord lengths 7, 8. Fixedly secured to theperiphery of the hub 15 is a relatively large central circular disk 20which of course rotates with the central hub 15 as the latter isactuated by cord 9.

Rotatably mounted on the hub 15 is an exterior rotor generallydesignated 22 which consists of a pair of spaced apart opposedsideplates 23, 24 provided with central apertures 25, 26 respectivelyfor rotatably supporting plates 23, 24 on central hub 15. A pair ofspacers 28, 29 are secured between opposite plates 23, 24 at pointsoutwardly of the periphery of the central disk 20 so that the rotor 22rotates as a unit relative to the central hub 15.

In operation the device of FIGS. 3, 4 is similar to that of FIGS. 1 and2 except that the outer rotor 22 rotates relative to the inner disk 20which is fixed relative to central hub 15. The result is that uponreversal of rotation of the device the sides 23, 24 strike the rotor 20thus causing a rattling sound which varies in pitch with the speed ofrotation of the device.

Another form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein threemembers 31, 32, 33 of substantially identical shape are employed. Thesemembers may be generally elongated but are reduced in cross sectionalextent adjacent their central portions to provide a greater amount ofmaterial at the periphery to enhance the speed of rotation. It will beunderstood, however, that the particular shape of the members is notcritical.

Member 32 is interposed between members 31 and 33 as best seen in FIG. 6and the outer members 31, 33 are fixedly secured to opposite ends of acentral hub 34. Bores 35, 36 are formed through central hub 34 and theouter members 31, 33 for receiving therethrongh the opposite lengths 7,8 of the string 9. As stated above, the members 31, 33 are generallyelongated and are preferably positioned with their long dimensions atright angles to each other so that major portions of the areas of bothmembers are visible from one side of the toy. The central member 32 hassubstantially the same shape as outer members 31, 33 except it isprovided with a central opening 39 for receiving the central hub 34therein so that member 32 is rotatably supported relative to saidcentral hub and relative to the outer members 31. 31*

In operation of the device of FIGS. and 6, the shifting of the centralmember 32 relative to the outer members 31, 33 when the direction of thetoy is reversed results in the central member having difierentproportions of its total area visible to the viewer from one end of thetoy. If the members 31, 32 and 33 are of different color as indicated inFIG. 5 the result is that a variation in color of the overall toyresults upon each reversal. If, for example, the outer members 31, 33are blue and red as indicated and the central member 32 is yellow, acolor resulting from the combination of blue and red, i.e. purple, willresult when the central member 32 is disposed entirely behind member 31.If, on the other hand, central member 32 completely obscures member 33then the combination resulting from a combination of yellow and red,that is orange, will result. As the central member 32 assumes differentpositions intermediate said two mentioned positions the resulting coloris one intermediate the two mentioned combined colors. This automaticprovision of different colors enhances greatly the enjoyment of the toy.

Another form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. In this casea pair of disks 40, 41 of identical shape are provided with radiallyextending slots 42, 43 respectively and with central apertures 44, 45 sothat the two disks may be brought together into perpendicularlyintersecting relationship as shown in FIG. 8. Holes 47, 48 are formed indisk 40 on opposite sides of the central aperture 44 and disk 41 issimilarly provided with holes 49, 50. These smaller holes receive theopposite lengths '7, 8 of the cord 9 therethrough so that when theassembly is assembled as shown in FIG. 8 the device may be rotated at ahigh speed. In FIG. 9 there is shown schematically the result of suchrotation. Since the heavy areas of the disks 40, 41 are normally fairlyclose to the cord 9, they tend to move radially outwardly due tocentrifugal force when the toy is rotated at high speed. The result isthat the rather wide structure shown in FIG. 8 becomes extremely narrowas shown in FIG. 9 when the device is rotating at high speed. However,when the reversal of direction takes place the device returns to itsshape of FIG. 8. It will be understood that the material of disks 40, 41need not necessarily be flexible because the effect above describedresults from the two disks hinging about the diameter on which slots 42,43 are disposed. The result is that although the disks tend to remainwith their planes at right angles to each other in a position of rest asshown in FIG. 8 the hinging effect above described results in the disksswinging toward each other at their outer ends when the toy is rotatingat high speed.

It will be apparent that the invention provides an extremelyentertaining toy without the expense inherent in many of the priordevices in which somewhat similar objects are sought to be achieved. Ineach embodiment of the invention the described structure may be made atan extremely low cost since the elements employed and the method ofassembly are simple.

The very specific description given of the preferred forms of theinvention should not be taken as restrictive as it will be apparent thatvarious modifications in design may be resorted to by those skilled inthe art without departing from the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A whirling toy comprising:

a pair of circular disks each provided with a radially extending slotpermitting said disks to be interfitted along a common diameter and withthe planes of said disks perpendicular to each other,

said disks each being provided with a pair of holes respectively spacedfrom the center of each disk and with one length of a loop of cordpassed through a pair of holes respectively on a pair of adjacentsemicircular portions of said disks and with the other length of saidloop of cord passed through the holes in the other pair of adjacentsemicircular portions of said disks.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 911,582 2/1909Evans 46-49 2,595,990 5/1952 Steiner 4649 2,742,733 4/1956 Giese et al.4649 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

